Jian - Blessing of Protection

[04:17] <Earthflame> Jian wakes early, and watches the sunrise from the garden as he sits and meditates on the past few days...
[04:19] <~Deedles> He's left on his own for a while before Taishin joins him, stretching his arms above his head with a faint groan as he enters the garden. "Morning." he greets the swordsman
[04:19] <Earthflame> Jian gives him a nod, rising a little unsteadily from his squat position. "Good morning, Shin. I hoped to catch you before you left."
[04:21] <~Deedles> "Oh?" Taishin says with a curious look. He seats himself on the stone bench before fishing up a pipe from the inside pocket of his coat, busying himself with stuffing some tobacco inside it.
[04:22] <Earthflame> "I have been thinking... When we go back to the village, I am going to do some research. There are libraries with ancient scrolls that might help our efforts, but I was hoping you could tell me more about... Your father. The Emperor."
[04:23] <~Deedles> Taishin nods as he thinks to himself, lighting the pipe and taking a couple of puffs before he replies "There's a lot to tell. What do you want to know?"
[04:23] <Earthflame> "Hmm... There are a lot of important elements. But one rose to the forefront of my mind... How does he take a new body?"
[04:29] <~Deedles> "It depends on the person. In my case he could do so rather easily, all he'd need is that I'm close by, but that isn't strange considering that I was made by him." Taishin answers quietly before pausing to puff at the pipe again "He has an easier time taking over the body of one who is corrupt, but even that would take a bit of effort. If he wished to take over the body of one who holds no corruption
[04:29] <~Deedles> it would take quite a lot of preperation and meditation on his part."
[04:30] <Earthflame> "But he has to be in your direct presence? There's no way he can do it remotely?"
[04:32] <~Deedles> "He could, but that would take effort too, the longer the distance the more effort it would take... and it's not like I wouldn't notice if he tried, even if I couldn't stop it. One of the reasons I like spending as little time as possible in Jinlong." Taishin explains
[04:34] <Earthflame> Jian nods. "Could he do it to try and escape? If the palace was attacked. And are there any others in your unfortuante position?"
[04:35] <~Deedles> Taishin shakes his head "No, only me. As I said, he created me. The other sources of corruption were either their own demon, like Tsuwan, or someone who simply got given corruption because they wanted to become stronger, like Katashi."
[04:36] <Earthflame> "...And people like me, who stumbled into it. And Misuki..." Jian shakes his head. "Still, that is good to know. I might be able to find something that would help you... With any luck."
[04:39] <~Deedles> Taishin grimaces faintly, silently taking a few puffs on his pipe before he says "Mhm, though her situation is a bit different from your own."
[04:40] <Earthflame> "...You know of her?"
[04:40] <Earthflame> "I've only sensed her Chi, and heard a little of her situation from Yoshi."
[04:41] <~Deedles> "Yeah, hard to avoid knowing about things like that when I have to return to Jinlong on a regular basis, and while the nobles are sleezy I prefer their company over my father's." Taishin tells him as he shifts his position slightly.
[04:42] <Earthflame> "...What happened to her? From what Yoshi said, she is not the sort who would fall to corruption..."
[04:44] <~Deedles> Taishin sighs faintly "She didn't... Not as such." he says, scratching his stubble. "Takeshi Daizen has been feeding her the same shit that Hayato made Mingxia drink back at the tea house."
[04:44] <Earthflame> ...Jian's face goes white. "...That's abominable."
[04:48] <~Deedles> His eyes are cast to the ground as he nods with a grim expression "It is... Reason I haven't mentioned it before now is because I don't wish to distress your friend. He's good-hearted, but brash."
[04:49] <Earthflame> Jian nods. "...If he knew, he'd charge head first for Jinlong."
[04:52] <~Deedles> "That's what I guessed, and right now that isn't an option. Right now you three need to escort Mingxia to your village, so he'd be charging in there on his own..." Taishin's eyes turn very dangerous as he adds "Or you three take Mingxia to Jinlong and risk her safety."
[04:54] <Earthflame> "We would never do that. We are not stupid."
[04:56] <~Deedles> "Good..." he concludes, leaning back as he takes a couple of puffs from the pipe.
[04:56] <Earthflame> Jian shakes his head. "...Two weeks without violence. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't divert us through Jinlong without risking stopping my healing. Shen wants to get the Heir home... I'll tell Yoshi after we return to the village."
[04:59] <~Deedles> Taishin nods "That's a better idea. In the mean time I will do what I can for her ..." he pauses as he looks thoughtful.
[05:00] <Earthflame> "...Don't risk yourself, Taishin."
[05:01] <~Deedles> "Hmm, I'm not planning to, was just thinking..." Taishin grins slyly "As the Imperial heir I get anything I want."
[05:06] <Earthflame> Jian laughs at that. "Well, if you have it, use it..."
[05:09] <~Deedles> "It will take some time, and I would have to keep her in Jinlong to keep up the act, but at least then she would be safe..." Taishin muses outloud, tapping the end of his pipe against his chin.
[05:11] <Earthflame> Jian looks away a moment. "...How did you learn to use Corrupt strength for good? I know of your resolve... But you could have sealed it away. Of refused to use it or rejected it utterly. How do you take the next step. To accepting something so foul... Because you can use it to do the right thing? I have been thinking... Whether I should abandon my Corrupt Chi... Or whether to try to learn
[05:11] <Earthflame> to channel it. So I can fight, and not lose control."
[05:13] <~Deedles> "In a sense I have rejected it, by making into armour that I wear instead of keeping it inside of me." Taishin tells him as he puts the pipe to his lip. "It took a long time to do, and means I'm weaker when I don't wear it, but it at least gives me the choice to be without it."
[05:14] <Earthflame> Jian chuckles. "...I wonder. Can one do that with their own blood?"
[05:15] <~Deedles> Taishin looks thoughtful at that "I'm not sure." he answers honestly "Was the corruption always in your blood?"
[05:15] <Earthflame> "...I don't know. I don't know where else it could have come from."
[05:16] <~Deedles> "Your blade?" Taishin says, throwing a suggestion out there "Or maybe it was my fault..." he ponders
[05:17] <Earthflame> He shakes his head. "It's a part of me. I knew that as soon as I felt it. I couldn't blame it on anyone else..." He pauses. "...But the blade is also part of me. It's been an extension of my soul for... As long as I can remember. And the others did mention something, after the battle..."
[05:18] <~Deedles> "What did they say?" Taishin leans forward slightly with a curious look.
[05:18] <Earthflame> "...That it drank the blood of the fallen. That it sucked it up from the bodies, while I was unconscious. I hadn't really had time to think about it..."
[05:19] <~Deedles> "Hmm..." Taishin takes a couple of quiet puffs from the pipe "Then maybe the sword is the source of it." he muses
[05:24] <Earthflame> "...But the sword is Me. I know that doesn't make sense, but... It Is. I can feel it, the same way I can feel my... Arm." He chuckles darkly. "More than that, at this moment."
[05:27] <~Deedles> "Then I'm not sure. I would suggest isolating the corruption to the blade, like I have with the armour. It is part of me, I can feel it, and yet it is seperate, but ... I'm not sure that is the same." Taishin tells him with a slight frown.
[05:28] <Earthflame> "...I need to learn more of the Dancing Sword Clan. I feel like... They must know. They must have the secrets of my blade, of my past. I will avenge my father... But I must also learn why I have the strength I do. Why swords..." He pauses, glancing at Shin.
[05:29] <~Deedles> Taishin meets his gaze "Why swords?" he repeats with a raised brow
[05:30] <Earthflame> "...They don't want to hurt me. They..." He shakes his head. "My mother told me not to talk about it. But I've never met anyone else who is the same... The straight true blades curve away from me, they avoid my skin and flesh. They can be forced to... My mother proved that all too well. But it feels like the spirit of every sword treats me with respect. With it's subservience."
[05:32] <~Deedles> "Hmmm, considering your bloodline I'm not surprised at that. The leaders of the Dancing Sword Clan have, up until recently at least, always had an impressive connection to swords, the soul of the swords." Taishin says as he ponders on it.
[05:34] <Earthflame> "But why do I have Corrupt Chi in the blade? Why am I tainted... And yet blessed? It doesn't make sense." He shakes his head.
[05:35] <~Deedles> "It is a Yin Yang blade, it holds dark as well as light."
[05:36] <Earthflame> He chuckles at that. "Can it be that simple?" ...He pauses. "...My mentor. Meilin. She gave me that title..."
[05:36] <Earthflame> His eyes widen. "...She knew. She knew this was within me."
[05:37] <~Deedles> "Possible... You'd have to ask her." Taishin says with a faint smile
[05:39] <Earthflame> "I will... I must get back to the village." He gives Taishin a glance and a nod. "...Thank you."
[05:40] <~Deedles> "Anytime. Just keep Ming safe and we're even." Taishin replies with the same faint smile, folding his arms behind his head as the pipe hangs from his lips.
[05:41] <Earthflame> "Just as you use your armour... I will learn to use my blood."
[05:50] <~Deedles> Taishin's smile widens "I'm sure you will."
[05:52] <Earthflame> Jian settles down to meditate once more, closing his eyes. "...But first, I must heal."
[05:54] <~Deedles> Taishin slowly stands, looking up at the morning sky "And I should get ready to leave." he states
[05:55] <Earthflame> "Spirits guide you, Taishin."
[05:56] <~Deedles> "As much as I doubt that the Spirits like me ...Thank you, Jian." He says, flashing a final smile before he heads inside.
[05:59] <Earthflame> Jian raises his head to the rising sun, speaking words under his breath, raising his hand to form sacred symbols as he utters a prayer of protection for Taishin... His braid waves in a sudden wind, and the warm sunlight seems to glow against his skin for a moment.